Switched from digital maps to printing out location timelines for cold cases

I used to track suspect movements using online maps and digital notes. Now I print out area maps and physically plot timelines with string and pins on a board. This tactile method makes spatial relationships and time gaps immediately obvious. I've identified two potential witness areas that digital overlays had missed completely. The extra effort has turned vague theories into actionable leads.

3 comments

3 Comments

riley86611h ago

Physically plotting timelines (I do this too) works best with color-coded strings for different suspect movements.

amy_craig285h ago

Last year I tried mapping alibis on a whiteboard with magnets... the connections looked so intense my roommate thought I was investigating an actual disappearance. She kept side-eyeing the board every time she grabbed a snack.

corar377h ago

Actually, color-coded strings can get pretty tangled with multiple suspects moving in the same area. That mess might hide the very time gaps you're trying to highlight, I found out the hard way. Trying numbered pins on a larger board sometimes makes those spatial relationships pop more clearly, lmao.